Newsom selects SFPUC Commission nominee

Mayor Gavin Newsom has nominated retired California State Senator Art Torres to serve on the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. His 20-year legislative experience will bring extensive experience in environmental, natural resource, consumer and labor issues to the SFPUC, Newsom said.

“Senator Torres brings extraordinary experience and accomplishments in environmental, natural resource, consumer and labor issues to the SFPUC as the agency continues its efforts to seismically rebuild our water and wastewater systems and deliver renewable power for San Francisco,” Newsom said. “I’m proud to nominate him and grateful for his willingness to serve our city and the SFPUC’s 2.5 million Bay Area customers.”

Among his many accomplishments, Senator Torres co-authored California’s landmark Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, known as Proposition 65, to protect California citizens and the state’s drinking water sources from chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. He also established the California consumer protection law cracking down on unscrupulous vendors who sell water-treatment devices by preying on homeowner fears about water quality, Newsom said.